Frequently Asked Questions

About Canary Cove

Where is Canary Cove?

Canary Cove is located on the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize, Central America. It is the largest of many islands in Belize and is a popular tourist destination for its access to the Belize Barrier Reef, the wonderful town of San Pedro, and many tropical adventures. San Pedro is the only town on the island. Canary Cove is located approximately 6 miles north of the San Pedro airstrip. Canary Cove is currently accessed primarily by boat; there is also a road between San Pedro town and Canary Cove.

What’s included with my stay?

Please see ourBasics & Extraspage for a comprehensive description. Below are highlights:

What amenities are included with the Villa?

Is there Wi-Fi?

Yes. There is Wi-Fi throughout Canary Cove. Please note that Wi-Fi service in Belize will not be as fast or reliable as in the U.S. We consider it to be medium-speed. You will be able to check and send emails, post pictures on Facebook to show your friends, and surf the web, but you should not expect to download large files or stream entertainment. We do have VoIP as well.

How does provisioning work?

In advance of your arrival, you will work with our private chef, Nathalie, to provide your preferences for meals. Breakfasts are self serve in the Villa. Lunches and Dinners are prepared, served, and cleaned up by our private chef and staff. All provisions for meals, beverages, and alcohol are purchased by our staff and paid for separately. Each bedroom has a mini-fridge, and coffee/tea-maker so no need to hit the kitchen if you want to stay in your bedroom. The villa has a full gourmet kitchen which will be stocked with your daily provisions for breakfast and snacks that aren’t prepared and served by our staff. Please let us know of any special dietary restrictions or special requests.

Does Canary Cove provide beach towels?

Yes. No need to bring beach towels.

Does Canary Cove provide snorkeling and SCUBA equipment?

Yes, and it is all very well maintained. However for your comfort, you may want to bring your own equipment in the event we don’t have your exact sizes.

Are there office hours?

The office is ourmanager, Gil’sdive hut on the dock. There is also staff living onsite 24/7. No need to worry about office hours, you can ask any staff for assistance at any time during your stay. If you need to make inquiries prior to your arrival, you can submit your inquiry using the form on ourReservationspage or see ourContactpage.

Are there Spa services?

Spa services, including massages, manicures, pedicures, and facials, can be arranged by our staff. Manicures, Pedicures and Facials can be done in your Villa. For massages, you have a choice of in-room or in the shade outdoors. Treatments can be pre-booked or arranged once you are onsite and billed to your stay.

What should I pack?

Life at Canary Cove as well as on the rest of the island is casual and relaxed, so you should pack comfortable clothing. You may wish to pack your own dive gear. Insect repellent and sunscreen are a must along with any medications and personal items such as eyeglasses, contact lenses and contact lens solution. A flashlight and light rain jacket can come in handy when Mother Nature strikes.

What is there to do?

SO MANY THINGS! With the island’s best dive company,Poseidon Belizeonsite, many guests take advantage of the access to incredibly diving daily. Others who aren’t divers will be out on the water for all sorts of other boating activities during the day; many also enjoy mainland adventures.

For those who relax by doing less, sleeping in, lying in a hammock with a good book, enjoying the private pool, taking advantage of the complimentary bicycles or water sports items, booking a massage, or sidling up to the swim bar to enjoy a cocktail or freshly tapped coconut might be the order of the day. And then wait for lunch or dinner to be served by our private chef and staff. Relaxing after dinner is no problem when the staff does the cleanup!

Take advantage of beachfront stargazing or watch a movie in the Villa great room or in your bedroom. All bedrooms are equipped with a flat panel television with local Cable TV services, Blu Ray player, latest 5.1 Dolby surround sound home theater system, and iPod dock. The villa also has an extensive DVD library.

Can I bring a drone?

As of now, there is a moratorium that prohibits the import or use of drones by Belize’s Department of Civil Aviation. You can learn more about this on theBelize Tourism Board website.

What do I need to know about money?

Belize currency is tied to the US dollar at US $1 = BZ $2. US cash and major credit cards are widely accepted. At the Canary Cove, charges from our dive shop, food/ alcohol/beverage provisioning, Spa service, powerboat activities, excursions, and tours with our partners arranged through our staff can all be charged to your stay for easy payment upon departure. The nearest ATM is located in San Pedro Town.

What’s with the Sea Grass?

We’re not sure, but we do know that Sea Grass is a vital part of the Belize ecosystem. The Caribbean Sea in Belize has Sea Grass or “Turtle Grass” growing—this is harmless. This grass is able to grow in our shallow waters due to the protection provided by the Belize Barrier Reef— the world’s second largest barrier reef. This means Belize doesn’t have the traditional walk into the water beaches like Cancun for example—but we also don’t have black-flag, strong undertow days when you can’t safely swim. Our waters are warm, calm and shallow for quite a distance before the reef. Canary Cove has a seawall in front to protect from beach erosion and we remove much of the sea grass from the water’s edge. Many of our guests enjoy swimming off our dock or walking along the beach. Locals as well as tourists enjoy swimming and snorkeling off of the island’s many docks where the water is deeper.

Guests arriving in Belize must transfer via one of the regional flights to the island of Ambergris Caye, about a 15-minute flight. The Ambergris Caye’s airstrip is located in San Pedro town, and Canary Cove staff will meet you at the San Pedro airport to bring you to Canary Cove in our private boat. If you’d prefer not to fly from mainland Belize to San Pedro, you can instead schedule a boat ride throughCoastal Xpress—our staff is happy to assist if needed. More travel information can be found on ourLocalpage.

How far is Canary Cove from San Pedro Town?

Canary Cove is about 6 miles north of San Pedro Town, far enough from the hustle and bustle to enjoy privacy, yet easily accessible to town by water taxi. There are no stores between San Pedro Town and Canary Cove. However, if there is something you need, please feel free to ask our staff. They are in town daily for provisioning and will be happy to get anything you need from town.

While I’m staying at Canary Cove, how can I get to/from San Pedro Town?

Coastal Xpressoffers reliable water taxi service between the Canary Cove dock and town several times per day. Tickets can be purchased from our staff and charged to your Villa account. The cost is currently US$8 per person, per trip. Canary Cove also has a golf cart which can be used to go to town using the road inland from Canary Cove. We also have bicycles available for your use at no charge.

Are there any taxes or fees associated with travelling to Belize?

Each and every visitor to Belize is required to pay a departure tax when leaving the country. The last time we checked, the cost was $40 U.S. per person for air departures. In most cases, this charge is included in your international airfare ticket—please check with your airline. Learn more about Belize Departure Tax and Border Exit Feeshere.

What are the entry requirements for Belize?

Simple answer: A Passport, and if any children are travelling without BOTH parents, a notarized letter of permission is required. We recommend you visit the Travel Belize website to fully understand all ofBelize’s Immigration Policies.

Local Attractions

How do I find out about SCUBA diving, snorkeling and other adventure opportunities?

Our staff can assist you with information regarding the numerous adventure opportunities, both inland and marine, that Belize has to offer beyond Canary Cove. We are fortunate to have a 5-star PADI Dive shop onsite Poseidon Belizeto cater to your dive desires including full and advanced certification options, as well as guided fishing excursions. To learn more about the many activities available at Canary Cove, please visit thePlaysection of our website.

“Canary Cove is an amazing place to go! I went snorkeling, fishing, and just hung out in the pool. My favorite thing on this trip would have to be scuba diving. Everything here is great and I am sure this is a vacation I will never forget! Thank you!” – L., California kid